1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image read-out and reproducing apparatus, wherein image information is read out from an image storage sheet, on which the image information has been recorded, by scanning the image storage sheet with a light beam, and an image is reproduced on a recording material by scanning the recording material with a modulated light beam. This invention particularly relates to an image read-out and reproducing apparatus, wherein an image read-out operation and an image reproducing operation can be carried out simultaneously.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various light beam scanning read-out apparatuses have heretofore been used wherein an image storage sheet, on which image information has been recorded, is scanned two-dimensionally with a light beam which serves as reading light, light radiated out of the portion of the image storage sheet which portion has been exposed to the light beam (i.e. light which has been reflected from the exposed portion of the image storage sheet, light which has passed through the exposed portion of the image storage sheet, or light which has been emitted by the exposed portion of the image storage sheet) is photoelectrically detected, and the image information is thereby read out from the image storage sheet. Also, various light beam scanning recording apparatuses have heretofore been used wherein a light beam, which serves as reproducing light, is modulated in accordance with an image signal, a recording material (such as a photosensitive material or a heat-sensitive material) is scanned two-dimensionally with the modulated light beam, and an image represented by the image signal is thereby reproduced on the recording material.
Additionally, image read-out and reproducing apparatuses have been proposed which is provided with both the functions of a light beam scanning read-out apparatus and the functions of a light beam scanning recording apparatus and with which an image having been read out from an image storage sheet is reproduced on a recording material.
One example of such image read-out and reproducing apparatuses is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,782. The disclosed image read-out and reproducing apparatus is provided with a light beam scanning means for an image read-out operation and a light beam scanning means for an image reproducing operation such that the image read-out operation and the image reproducing operation may be carried out simultaneously. A different image read-out and reproducing apparatus is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,321. In the disclosed image read-out and reproducing apparatus, a single light beam scanning means is utilized for an image read-out operation and an image reproducing operation. An image read-out operation is carried out while an image reproducing operation is being ceased, and an image reproducing operation is carried out while an image read-out operation is being ceased.
With the former conventional image read-out and reproducing apparatus, the image read-out operation and the image reproducing operation can be carried out simultaneously. Therefore, the efficiency, with which the image read-out and reproducing operations are carried out, can be kept high. However, with the former conventional image read-out and reproducing apparatus, two expensive light beam scanning means must be used. Therefore, the cost of the image read-out and reproducing apparatus cannot be kept low.
With the latter conventional image read-out and reproducing apparatus, only a single light beam scanning means may be used. Therefore, the cost of the latter conventional image read-out and reproducing apparatus can be kept lower than the cost of the former conventional image read-out and reproducing apparatus. However, with the latter conventional image read-out and reproducing apparatus, the image read-out operation and the image reproducing operation cannot be carried out simultaneously. Therefore, the efficiency, with which the image read-out and reproducing operations are carried out, cannot be kept high.